Stove-grate



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

Y EDGAR E. BUNKER, DE DUBUQUE, IOWA.

STOVE-G RATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 273,251, dated March 6, 1883.

Application filed J une 20, 1882. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR E. BUNKER, of Dubuque, in the countyot' Dubuque and State 'of Iowa, have invented a new and useful lmprovement in Stove-Grates; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The invention involved in the subject-matter of this specification relates to an improvement in stove-grates adapted to belon gitudinall y and transversely adjusted to fit within the various lengths and widths of dre-boxes, and further adapted to the connection therewith of means by which it is supported in the tire-box, and whereby, when properly adj usted, it will be restricted from any lateral movement or tendency toward displacement.

The invention therein consists in composing the grate of two sections, each consisting of a longitudinal bar or head provided with a series of bars or n gers extending outwardly at right angles thereto, and corrugated to receive a correspondingly-shaped ridge on the inner faces of thejaws of a pin, which is applied to the iingers at each end of the grate to support it in the tire-box and prevent an ylateral movement of the same after located; and it consists, further, in the construction, arrangement, and

l combination of the parts composing it, as will be more' explicitly hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claim.

In order that theinvention may be thoroughly understood, and to enable those skilled in its relative art to know howto construct and use the same,I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view of agrate constructed in accordance with my invention, with the supporting-pins applied thereto and a portion of the upper section of the grate broken away to show the breaking-grooves on the bars or fingers of the lower section thereof, and also showing the reversed bar or finger on one and the same end of each section 3 Fig. 2, sectional view of the jaws of one of the su pporting-pins, taken on the line a: w of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3, a longitudinal section of the grate.

Referring to the drawings, A. represents the longitudinal box or head of each section composing the grate, having cast therewith or secured thereto in any desirable and suitable manner a series of bars or 1ingers,BB, which extend outward from said bar or head at right angles thereto, and are parallel to each other, with an intervening space, a, when the two sections are closed,) ofa width a little less than that ofthe contiguous bars or iingers. These bars or lingers are the shape, or nearly so, of arightangle triangle, and are provided on their top and bottom surfaces with a series of V-shaped grooves-or corrugations, b, equidistant apart and parallel to each other, for a purpose hereinafter to be explained. When the two sections thus constructed are titted together to form the grate,.the hypoten use of the right angle of each bar or finger of both sections is in contact, thus coinciding and forming square bars or fingers, with the intervening spaces, a, of equal width the entire depth of the grate. In order to prevent any lateral movement of the two sections of the grate, the bar or nger B at one end of each section is accordingly reversed in position, as illustrated in Figs. l and 2; otherwise the two sections would easily become displaced and be of no service whatever. The grate is adapted to be vsuspended in the fire-box and restricted from transverse movement after having been properly adjusted to fit the same by means of two pins, D D, one of which is applied to each end of the grate, and which also serve as shakers to free the stove from ashes and the like. They are of similar construction, and consist of a rod,E, suitably constructed at one end to engage with any of the lwell-known devices usually employed for operating the grate to free the stove from ashes, and provided at the opposite end thereof with two jaws, F, having a space between them of a sufficient width to admit the end of the grate, which they embrace when applied thereto. Each of these jawsis provided on its inner or contactsurface with a ridge, c, arranged as shown, and of a size and shape corresponding with the grooves or corrugations on the top and bottom surfaces of the bars or ngers B B', in order that when the twosections are adjusted accordingly as desired, and the pins are applied to the ends of the grate,these ridges of the jaws may enter the grooves or corrugaloo' tions b on the bars or fingers of both sections, and t-hereby enable such sections to retain their given position, exempt from any lateral movement or tendency toward displacement.

The description of the invention to this point limits the grate to transverse adjustment only and alone to tire-boxes of a greater width; and iu order that it may be readily adjusted for accommodation in tire-boxes of a less width and length,itis provided with breaking-grooves a, cut in each bar or head A opposite to the end provided with the reversed bar or finger B', and similar grooves, e, cut in the Vertical side and incline of each bar or nger B and B', midway the grooves crcorrugations b, as illustrated by -Fig. 1.

The manner of adjusting is as follows: If the tire-box to be fitted is of' a less length than the grate, the bars or iingers B of each section, of a number required to make it it, are broken off from the bar or head A. Then, if the fire-box is wider than the grate, the two sections are drawn apart to make the required width, and if narrower than the grate when closed, the ends of the bars or lingers B B are broken off at the grooves the distance required. The pins aie then applied to each end of the grate, with the ridges of the jaws resting in the grooves or corrugations b of the bars or fingers, and thus the heads will be prevented from drawing apart and the entire grate from sagging. From the foregoing description it will be apparent that this grate is simple in construction, can be easily and readily adjusted to tit nicely the various sizes of tire-boxes, and can be manufactured and placed upon the market at a small cost, comparing its advantages with those ofthe grates at present in use.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A grate composed of two sections, each having a series of bars or iingers, the sides of which form a right-angled triangle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A grate composed of two sections, each having a series of bars or iin gers, the sides ot' which form a right-angled triangle, and adapt such sections, when fitted together, to form rectangular bars, with intervening spaces for the passage of the ashes and draft, substantially as set forth.

3. A grate composed of two sections, each having a series of bars or fingers, constructed as described, with the bar ortinger at one and the same end of each section reversed, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A grate composed of two sections, each having a seriesoi' bars or fingers, the sides oi' which form a right-angled triangle, and are provided with a series ot' transverse grooves or corrugations, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination, with a grate composed of two sections, each having a series of bars or ngers provided with a series of grooves or corrugations, substantially as described and shown, of a pin adapted to be applied to each end of the grate for supporting it iu the fireboX and preventing any lateral movement ot' the two sections composing such grate, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 10th day ot' June, 1882.

EDGAR E. BUNKER. Witnesses:

MONROE M. GABY, WILLIAM GRAHAM. 

